Humidifier.



O. S. DRAKE. HUMIDIFIER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28, 1911. I

1,079,935, Patented Dec. 2,1918.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. C. S. DRAKE.

HUMIDIPIER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1911.

1,079,935, Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARKE S. DRAKE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

HUMIDIFIER.

oroees.

Application filed July 28, 1911. Serial No. 640,989.

To all whom it may canoe-m:

Be it known that I, CLARKF S. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Humidifiers, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

.This invention relates to humidifiers for charging the atmosphere withmoisture for any purpose, as for moistening the air in cigar cases andvaults, for distributing disinfectants or perfume through auditoriums orhospitals and for like purposes and has for its object to providemechanism for forcibly drawing air through a chamber provided with meansfor keeping it constantly supplied with the desired liquid exposed tothe passing air for charging and then ejecting it into the atmosphere.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a humidifier with anindicator showing the level of the liquid within the receptacle, wherebythe rate of consumption of the liquid may be readily determined.

Another object of the invention is to perfect details of construction ofsuch a device, whereby it may be made neatin its appearance andcompaetand portable so as to be located where desired.

it-h the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thehumidifier as herein claimed, its parts and combinations of parts andall equivalents,

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters ofreference indi cate the same parts in the several views: Figure 1 is afront elevation of a humidifier constructed in accordance with thisinvention, a portion being broken'away to show the feed opening forsupplying liquid thereto. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional viewthereof; and. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the upper portion thereof.

In these drawings 10 indicates a base, as herein shown. formed of a.casting of substantially c \-'lindrical shape with an enlarged lower endon which it rests provided with openings 11 for the admission of air tothe interior thereof. The base is hollow except for a liquid receptacle12 which may be formed integral with the base casting as shown, or itmay be separate therefrom, but it is preferably so constructed that itmay be filled through a capped opening 12 Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec.2.1 e13.

at one side and that a glass gage tube 13 outside of the base is incommunication t-herewlth so that the liquid level in the receptacle willappear in the gage tube. As'

herein vshown, the base casting is provided with a boss '14communicating with the liquid receptacle and in which the gage tube 1gage tube to slide thereon so that the level- (if the liquid at thebeginning of the operation may be recorded by moving said indi cator onthe gage tube until it registers with the ley'el of the liquid. Then atthe end of the operation the distance between the indicator and thelevel of the liquid will represent the extent to which the liquid hasbeen dispelled into the atmosphere.

Any convenient means may be provided for conveying the liquid from theliquid receptacle into an air passage 19 through the base which isprovided by reason of the liquid receptacle being smaller than theinterior of the base casting, but as here shown,

such means comprises a wick 20 which is contained within a perforatedmetal casing 21 which is let down into the liquid receptacle 12 throughan opening in the upper end thereof, said wick extending from near thebottom of the liquid receptacle, through the removable cover 22 for theopening in the top of the receptacle, to the air passage 19.

On top of the base 10 is mounted a casing 23 which is approximately ofcylindrical shape with its interior communicating with the air passage19 through an opening 24 in its bottom,and contained within this casing23 is an electric motor 25 bearing a fan 26 which serves to draw the airthrough the air passage 19 and discharge it through the open end of thecasing which is covered by awire screen 27 and a disk shaped baflieplate 28. The battle plate serves to break up the direct current of airfrom the fan and cause the air to be discharged slowly through thesurrounding space. At the back of the casing 23 is a removable cap 29which assists in the support. of the motor and which bears a snap switch30 for-controlling the motor, such cap being also pro- I vided withopening -well as being adapt 31 for admitting more or less air direct tothe fan when it is desired to modify the action of the device byrequiring less air to pass through the air passage 19 to supply the fan.These openings 31 are controlled by adjustable covers 32 for varying theadmission of air therethrough to the desired extent. The base casting 10isalso provided with an opening 33, but this opening is at or below thelevel of the end of the wick 20 so that air drawn therethrough will passtne Wick and become charged with the liquid. The opening 33 is providedwith an adjustable cover 3% for varying the effect thereof, while abutterfly valve 35 positioned across the air passage 19 serves tocontrol'the flow of air admitted from beneath thestand.

The device may be provided with a handle 36, for carrying it from placeto place and its motor may be connected by an attachment plug with alamp socket wherever it is desired to be operated.

In operation the fan serves'to draw air through the air passage 19 ormore directly throu h the oaenin 33 as )reterred and this air in passingover the moistened end of the wick 2O evaporates the liquid therefromand charged with the liquid vapor it is ejected through the screen endof the casing into the atmosphere, thus rapidly charging the atmospherewiththe vapor of the liquid contained in theliquid receptacle. Theextent to which the air is charged with the vapor is varied by themanipulation of valves 35, 34 and 32 and the rate of consumption of theliquid may be determined by inspecting the gage tube.

The "devicebeing portable and adapted for connection to lamp sockets itmay be readily changed from place to place and thus become efiective forthoroughly atomizing or disinfecting large rooms or buildings as ed foruse in humiditying smaller spaces, such as cigar cases and vaults.

The term humidifier as employed here- -'is intended to include suchdevices as umigators and the like wherein disinfectants or othermaterials are diffused through the air by means of a liquid used as :1vehicle therefor.

While an electric motor is specifically mentioned as the most convenienttype for operating the device, it will be understood that the inventionmay be operated by any suitable form of motor.

The operation of the baiile plate prevent or offer resistance to thereturn air currents produced by the fan blades and tending to flow intothe center of the tan. These return air currents reduce the draftthrough the air passage or the openings 31 produced by the fan and wouldtherefore impair the operation of the device. This plate 28 and thescreen 27 also serve as a fan guard.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a ea ing, provided with anopening for the admission of air and an outlet opening vtor the air, anair moistener within the casing, means located between the. lnoistenerand the outlet. for sucking in air through the opening past themqistener and dischargingit from the casing, the casing being providedwith a second opening for admitting air between the moistener and thesuction side of the air sucking means.

2. In a device of the character described, a hollow base forming an airpassage, openings in the bottom of the base leading to the air passage,a liquid receptacle contained within the base, a wick in the liquidreeeptaeletor conveying the liquid thereform to the air passage, acasing mounted on the base and haring an open end, and an electric fanlocated therein and drawing air from the. air passage and discharging itthrough the open end of the casing, there being an opening in the casingopposite the fan.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

CLARKE S. DRAKE. \Vitnesses It. S. C. CALDWELL, KA'rinnuxn Hour.

28 is to

